by Jamie Begley
“What the fuck, Mick!”
Ice recognized the man yelling out as one of The Last Riders.
“Chill, Moon. It’ll only be for two hours. I’ll give a free beer to anyone who comes back when I reopen. Lily wants to give Shade his Valentine’s Day present without you yahoos around.”
Moon’s beer bottle toppled over when he set it back on the bar top too hard. “Motherfucker. How does that fucker get so motherfucking lucky?” Moon snarled, righting his beer. “He scored the best-looking woman in town, and she’s closing down the bar for him?”
Ice felt for the brother when he looked like he was going to cry.
“There is no fucking justice!”
“Tell me about it,” Ice muttered beneath his breath. After the argument he and Grace had this morning, he would be lucky to get laid tonight, even if it wasn’t Valentine’s Day.
Picking up his cell phone, he was about to send a text to her when the bar door opened. As if his thoughts had put her there, his wife walked inside.
Grace had changed from her dress, which she had looked hot as hell in, to a pair of skin-tight jeans and a baby blue and dark blue tie-dye top that fit her tits like a glove. Wearing a fuzzy, baby blue coat, she looked around the room before spotting him at the bar.
Where in the fuck had his wife gotten that outfit? He had never seen her wear it in Queen City.
Feeling his tongue get dry in his mouth, he lifted a shaky hand to his beer to take a drink as his wife sat down next to him.
“I’ve been looking for you.”
“I was on my way back. I needed a break.”
Grace nodded as if she understood. “I did, too. Can I have a beer?” she asked the bartender when he approached.
“Sure, but the bar’s closing in fifteen minutes.”
When Grace gave Mick a curious frown. Ice explained, “Lily rented out the bar for the next two hours.”
She poured the beer into the glass that Mick set down in front of her. “Of course she did.”
“What does that mean?” Ice turned on his stool to see his wife bushing at the fact that he had heard her comment.
“She has the perfect marriage. It just makes sense that she’s the perfect wife, too.”
“How much champagne have you had?”
“Too much.”
Ice tensed at the danger she had put herself in by driving after consuming too much alcohol. “And you drove here?”
“Relax. Beth and Razer dropped me off on their way home.”
“How’d you know I was here?”
Grace slid her hand inside the fuck-me coat, taking out her phone and laying it next to his on the bar. “You’re the one that put find a friend app on my phone.”
“I put it on yours, not mine.”
“You’re not the only one that knows how to install apps.”
He started to get angry, then remembered he had done the same. Biting his tongue, he decided to play fair this time, even though it galled him that she had gotten one over on him.
“Dad and T.A. left for Florida.”
“Sorry, I was….”
She waved off his apology. “I don’t blame you. I’ve been such a bitch lately that I don’t want to be around myself.”
She had been a bitch, but he couldn’t stand the defeated expression that was on her face.
“Grace….”
She waved off his apology. “I have been a raving bitch to you, and I know that.”
Ice saw that her bottom lip had gone white with her biting down on it.
“I hate myself every time I open my mouth to you, but I can’t seem to stop myself, no matter how hard I try.”
Her admission had him feeling as if she just ground her high-heeled boot down on his heart, then picked up what was left to squish in her hand like silly putty.
“Grace, I think it’s time to—”
“Don’t… Please. Just give me a minute to say my peace before you tell me you want a divorce. I want to tell you that—”
“Ten minutes!” Mick’s voice boomed, startling them both, her hand going to his thigh.
“I need to use the restroom. All the champagne I drank has my bladder going on overdrive.”
“It’s in the back on the left. Hurry up. I told Lily I’d have everyone out before she got here,” Mick broke in after hearing the last part of their conversation.
Standing up, she squeezed his thigh tighter. “Please don’t leave. I’ll be right back.” Releasing the grip on his leg, she unsteadily went in the direction of the bathroom.
“Brother, I hate to kick a man when he’s down, but I need you and your woman to get the fuck out.”
Ice paid for the beer, expecting Grace to come right back as the others in the bar left.
When Mick went to stand at the window, he gave him an exasperated look. “Lily’s here. If she sees you, she’ll call it off.”
“I’ll go see what’s taking so long,” he said, rising from his stool.
“I’m going outside. Get your woman and use the back door. It’s on the other side of the bathroom.”
“Will do.”
Ice strode toward the restroom, wondering why Grace was taking so long to take a piss. He didn’t bother knocking on the door, going inside to see his wife leaning against the wall, crying.
“What’s fucking wrong?” he asked, taking a quick look around the room to make sure nothing could have hurt her.
“I’m such a bitch!”
Dumbfounded, Ice let the stall door that he had opened swing close. “Quit saying that. You’re not a bitch.”
“I am.” Shuddering, she went to the sink to grab a handful of paper towels then wetted them under the faucet. Dabbing her eyes, she stared at him in the mirror. “I can’t even blame you for leaving me. I’ve been such a witch to you.”
“Grace, you’re not a bitch or a witch,” he said, trying to calm her down so he could get her out of the bathroom.
“Who starts a fight with her husband on Valentine’s Day?” she muttered, talking more to herself than to him from the reflection in the mirror. “I should have made you your favorite meal and a cake.”
“I’m sure there’s a fuck-load of cake left over from the reception.”
Grace shook her head dismally. “Rider packed most of it up to take back to the club, said he was working tonight and needed it as a snack. It doesn’t matter anyway. It wasn’t your favorite flavor that I always bake for you on Valentine’s Day.” Grace gasped out, taking a deep breath before continuing on with her tirade. “While Lily rented out a bar for Shade. Lily’s the perfect wife, and I suck!”
“We can talk when we get out of here.” Ice started to open the door but stopped when Grace started dabbing her eyes again.
“Look at me. I look ridiculous.”
“You look hot as fuck.”
She dropped her hand to the sink. “T.A. said you would like it when she talked me into buying it. Even T.A. knows what you like, and she isn’t married to you.”
Ice moved to stand behind her. “There isn’t a man alive that wouldn’t want to fuck you in that get-up.”
“Then, why do I feel as undesirable as a dishrag?”
He was unaware his wife felt that way.
“If you’re feeling like that, it isn’t on you. That’s on me.”
CHAPTER 4
“How is that your fault?”
He trailed a line from her beating pulse to the curve of her breast. “If you’re feeling neglected and not sexy, then I’m in the wrong. That’s not being a good husband. Was that why you were staring a hole in Shade at the reception? Does he do it for you instead of me?”
“Huh?”
Her astounded look quieted the jealously, which was what had him making the excuse to leave the reception.
“I couldn’t be attracted to Shade in a million years. He’s not my type.”
“I don’t believe you.” Ice used his knuckles to shove down her top, curling a possessive hand over her wispy blue
bra.
“I was only looking at him because Lily was talking about him. She thinks he’s God’s warrior.”
The sound of Ice’s laughter ricocheted off the bathroom walls. “Shade and God shouldn’t be used in the same sentence. I would say he’s more like the devil’s minion, but Shade is no one’s minion.”
“He can’t be that bad, or Lily wouldn’t love him.”
Ice rolled his eyes at that innocent statement. “Then she’s blind as fuck where he’s concerned.”
Grace’s head fell back to rest on his shoulder when he started squeezing her tit, pushing the plump flesh out of the thin material that was holding it confined. “Lily’s not blind. She’s in love.”
“I really don’t care if she is or isn’t. The only woman I care about is mine.”
“Do you…? Do you still love me?”
He brought his hand to her shoulder, jerking her around to face him. “What kind of a question is that? You know I do. I’m getting sick of this bullshit. You blow hot on me one fucking second, and the next, you ask if I love you? If I didn’t love you, can you tell me why I would be putting up with this bullshit?”
She gripped the sink as if she was about to fall to the floor.
“Would my ass be sitting in a marriage counselor’s office if I didn’t?” He ruthlessly moved away from her touch when she would have reached out to him. “You need to get your head on straight and figure the fuck out that it’s not me that’s the problem.”
“What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean. Winston is going for reevaluation in two months, and it’s scaring the fuck out of you.”
“They’ll never let him out.”
“They won’t, but for the last four years, every time that yearly reevaluation comes up, we go through months of hell until he’s denied. We get a few months break before we’re notified again. It’s torture for you, and it sure as fuck is on me, having to watch you go through that. Even if he get’s out tomorrow, he’s paralyzed from the neck down. I’m fucking sure you can take him.”
“Our fights are over Desmond and the job you do for him, not Leon!”
“Really, Grace? Fool yourself, not me. You think those dirtballs that I make sure Desmond gets his part of their profits is worth this fighting back and forth? At least the people in Queen City know that what they’re sticking in their noses and arms won’t put them in a casket. You can’t be that naïve as to think that shit won’t be going down whether Desmond takes his part or not?”
“You take your part, too!”
“Damn right I do! I sleep like a baby, too! You think I’m going to lose sleep over that? I’d have a hard time sleeping knowing shit was hitting the streets that is taking over other towns. Read the fucking papers. Some police departments are volunteering to check out people’s stash because so many people are dying. I’ve only had one shipment almost get past me in the last two years, and the fucker that tried it left in the truck he attempted to bring it in.”
“You’re risking your life! You’re risking it all for nothing!”
“It’s not nothing! It’s Gert’s nursing home payment. You think Max can pay for all those kids on his and Casey’s salary? Cole might be better now, but he has a shit-ton of medical bills that they’re all trying to pay off. And I’m not even talking about the other brothers in the club and the baggage they have on their shoulders. Braces, school supplies, child support payments, clothes, food. Don’t tell me it’s not for fucking nothing, because it’s a big fucking something to them.”
“There are other ways to do that legally.”
“It may have gotten past you that I don’t exactly qualify for big, high paying jobs. Nor do the other brothers. We do what we do best—protecting our own. And if that doesn’t make you happy, then I guess we don’t have anything else to say, do we? Now, I’m going to take a leak and get the hell out of here before Mick comes back and I have to beat the fuck out of him for telling me to hurry one more time.”
Slamming his fist against the stall door closest to him, it swung open so fast that Ice had to bite back another curse when he saw Grace run out of the bathroom with her hand pressed to her mouth. Unbuttoning his jeans, he raised his other fist to hit the thin metal.
He was washing his hands, considering punching the mirror, when his eyes widened in the glass when he remembered that he and Grace were supposed to go out the back door.
“Fuck!”
CHAPTER 5
Rushing out of the bathroom, Grace came to an abrupt stop when she saw what was going on in the front of the bar. Frozen in place, the dark lighting prevented her from being seen by the couple.
Thrown off balance by what was going on in front of her eyes, she didn’t know how to react without making a fool of herself. There was no way she was going to be able to traverse the length of the bar and slink out without being seen. Not only was she was going to be humiliated, but Lily would freak out if she found out that the pole dance she was giving her husband was being witnessed. The only reason she had avoided being seen so far was that Lily was swinging on the stripper pole.
Deciding to shout out that she was there and give Lily the opportunity to cover herself, and then run out hell-bent for leather, Grace opened her mouth. But before she could manage a squeak, a hand covered it.
She had been so disconcerted at Lily’s performance that she forgot Ice was in the bathroom.
Raising her chagrinned eyes to his, she saw that he had seen the predicament they were in.
At the silent nod of his head, she realized he was using his chin to motion toward the side. Nodding her understanding, Ice removed his hand from her mouth, then turned to look to where he was indicating.
She was still thanking God that Ice had known how to get them out without being seen when she started to push the metal bar of the side door that would get them out of the bar. Before she could push down, though, Ice pulled her back.
Puzzled, she looked at him to see he was gesturing at the sign above the door.
Swallowing hard, she read the note that said an alarm would ring if the door was opened.
Feeling frantic, she was willing to take the chance when the music changed. She darted a glance toward the front and saw what was going on with Shade and Lily.
Seeing that Ice was staring just as hard, she hit her husband’s shoulder, redirecting his attention.
If she had needed further proof that Lily was perfect, she was seeing it now without Lily’s knowledge. No woman should look like that. It just wasn’t fair. Especially with her looks.
She hit Ice again, ignoring his mouthing of, “What the fuck?”
Her body was nothing to sneeze about, but Lily’s boobs and ass were perfect, which were the sore points on her own body. That she could see the appreciation in Ice’s expression had her wanting to pop him to make him stop watching. The jerk wasn’t stunned in place, not knowing what to do to get them out of the situation they found themselves in because of her bladder.
If she hadn’t just taken care of the situation, she would have peed herself when she saw what was happening now.
Her jaw dropped open when Shade rose from the chair and put Lily on the bar. Afraid she was about to been seen, in the gloominess of the back room of the bar Grace hastily took a chair at a small table that was close to them. Fearfully, she looked to see what Ice was doing and realized her husband’s ass had found a chair at the same time hers had.
“What are we going to do?” she silently mouthed at him.
She narrowed her eyes on him when he just shrugged and continued watching.
She hit him again.
“Quit doing that,” he mouthed.
She was about to bury her head in her hands when she saw what Shade was doing. Gaping, she could only stare at him in wonder as he started taking his clothes off. Damn, they were the perfect couple.
Grace winced, shooting Ice an irritated glance when he swatted her hand for watching. It was okay for him to appreciate Lily, but
she wasn’t allowed to appreciate Shade?
Sparks from their eyes went back and forth among them when Shade knelt on the floor.
She was rising half off her seat so she could see when Ice’s hand on her shoulder made her sit back down. Ice shook his head warningly at her.
Her disappointment was short-lived because then Shade rose and went to Lily.
The passion between the couple nearly set the bar on fire.
Unconsciously twisting on her chair, what she was witnessing had launched a grenade in her own body. Grace had never felt like that before.
Unaware, she had taken Ice’s hand and was squeezing it tightly.
Unblinking, she watched Lily and Shade, her heart starting to hammer when Shade’s eyes seemed to pierce them through the shadows. Terrified for a second that they had been spotted, Grace reacted instinctively, sliding off the chair in a hunched over position then making her way toward the restroom, feeling Ice doing the same.
When she reached the women’s bathroom, she started to push the door open then changed her mind, going for the men’s.
Ice stopped her by clutching the bottom of her jacket, trying to tug her back to the women’s. Shaking her head, she tried to bat him away, but a sharp smack on her bottom had her twisting like a contortionist to smack back at his hands.
Grace gave up when Ice’s furious eyes met hers.
Backpedaling to the women’s restroom, she opened the door barely enough to squeeze through, afraid that Shade or Lily would see the light spilling out into the darkened hallway.
She dropped to the floor once she and Ice were safely inside, fearfully watching the door as if Shade or Lily would barge in to ask what the hell was going on.
“Why in the fuck were you trying to go to the men’s restroom?” Ice huffed, sitting down beside her.
“Shh! They’ll hear us!” she hissed. “I don’t want Lily to see us if she needs to use the toilet.”
Ice stared at her as if she was deranged. “You’d rather be caught by Shade?” he hissed back.
“Shh! They’ll hear us!” Grace wheezed out, afraid she was about to have a panic attack.